SQWIBS Urban Gardening Adventure 2018

[SQWIBB]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

WOW! You've been enjoying the fruits (& vegetables) of your labor!

What is that river of rock in pic #2? Looks like it would be an impassible barrier to deer & humans!
Nan

It's Pennsylvania, lol.
We love our rocks here
Paste this into google maps
40.512398, -76.276869


Then check this out
41.050212, -75.642995

[Nan_PA_6b]

Sqwibb, is that natural or man-made?

[JRinPA]

Been a while since I hunted hickory run...that toll is getting steep. $3.35 just from 22 to 209. I didn't know about the one west of 183. I spend much of Oct thru Jan in that area, but mostly south of 78.

The hickory run field is glacial.
Not a good area to wear your brand new hiking boots.

[SQWIBB]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Sqwibb, is that natural or man-made?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickory_Run_State_Park




Took the kids here quite often when camping at Hickory Run.


2004

[SQWIBB]

June 8th, 2018



I gotta say, I'm pretty impressed with the Hugelkultur beds, actually I'm pretty impressed with all the beds with the exception of the Asparagus bed.
Some of the beds are on their third season and a few are on their 2nd season. The best time to make these beds would be in the fall so they have a full winter season to absorb water, settle a bit and get more established. My beds were all built late winter, I am starting to see some settling now in the beds and have been heavily watering the Hugelkultur beds this season to help the beds settle in better.


From what I have researched, Hugelkultur beds take around three seasons to establish, this is around the time they are supposed to stop taking up nitrogen and start releasing it.


I am very happy with these beds and I feel I am over the hump with them. I'm really pleased with the soil this season so far. It's so nice to be able to use your bare hands.



It looks like the winter prep has paid off. I'm not sure how much the bio-char has made a difference, but it definitely hasn't hindered anything.

Last year I did have a terrible Slug and Aphid problem in section #4 of Hugelkultur bed #2. The slugs were easy to take care of but the Aphids were out of control, I think the main problem was the ants, there were just so many ants. This year I had the same ant problem, and I traced it to the "Rose of Sharon" plant on the hill that is next to this bed. The Rose of Sharon was infested so badly that if I accidentally brushed up against it, I was covered in tiny ants. So I figured treating the ant problem may eliminate the aphids problem, so I treated the area with a Terro bait. I usually leave the ants alone but they were just out of control.



This season I am growing crimson clover in these beds as a living mulch. For a living mulch I already have oregano and strawberries in some of the bed and have been letting the strawberries do their thing.

• 2nd year Hugelkultur bed (1 winter) The tomato plants in this bed are doing real well, but I am really impressed with the Rutgers plant in the center. Next year this bed will have 3 tomato plants only and I'll leave the Raspberry plant that is to the right.
  

• We couldn't find this guy (Reds) for the longest time I found him buried and he was packed in tight, only his head was visible. Amanda dug him out and we fed him his favorite food and gave him some water, were still clueless as to how he got buried that tight. Poor guy was pretty hungry and really thirsty.

• Hugelkultur bed #2 Section #1
  

• Hugelkultur bed #2 Section #4
  

• Raised bed on hill (Right bed)

June 10th - 12th, 2018

I actually got a jump on my Rain Water Collection. One of my 2019 goals is to utilize more rain water, this year I am using my tossed together system and the plants are thriving. The rainwater Collection progress is posted on another page. See Tabs above.


OK back to the garden

• Hugelkultur bed #2 Section #3

After work today, I had the joy of replacing a bad pond pump in the back yard pond, thankfully I had a spare pump. I also tore out all of my periwinkle in the front garden and will reseed with crimson clover.

• Finally getting some flowers on my cucurbits.

• I guess its time to stat spraying with some Bt.
  

• I think I'm going to thin out the Spaghetti Squash next year.
  

June 12th, 2018

• Testing out the "Perpetual Spinach" again. I gotta say I'm really liking this stuff, I may dedicate more space to this plant next year.
  

• Awesome dinner.

• Helping mother nature with the spaghetti squash.

• The only female so far.

• Aquaponics, veggie filter
  

• Front Planter
  

• Hugelkultur bed #2 Section #3

• Hugelkultur bed #2 Section #4 [L-R Cherokee Purple - Jalapeno - Rutgers - Box Car Willie - Jalapeno]

[SQWIBB]

June 13th - 15th, 2018


I have been following my Gardening Strategy as outlined in the beginning of this site and it seems to be working out rather well, the only thing I haven't done is side dress with compost after the plants had flowered, but it wasn't needed.

• This Artichoke is jammed up in between the Spaghetti Squash and Bee Balm. Bee Balm is just starting to flower.
  

• This imperial star Artichoke is on the retaining wall in front of the fence.

• Artichoke with Rosemary, Blackberry, Marigolds and some unidentified plant I'm letting grow.
  

• Hugelkultur bed #2 Section #4

• Left Raised bed on hill
  

• Grapes, Raspberry, Swiss Chard

• Blueberries, Comfrey, Maypops, Hollyhock.

• Some random pictures of how I have been managing my new strategy, "nothing is removed" and "Interplanting". This would drive my Mom nuts! If there's a bare spot, I put something there like crimson clover, trimmed plants, bark, onions that sprouted etc...
  

Every now and then I'll dig in an old bagel, bread, some paper etc... I also add kraft packing paper, thin cardboard and tuck them in the back of the beds.

• Pond.

• Koi Pond Patio Planter with Leeks and a Gerbera Daisy. This is our Compromise planter, I wanted leeks, she wanted flowers.
  

[Nan_PA_6b]

Excellent work, Sqwibb! My peppers barely have flowers; what's your secret?


Nan

[ddsack]

Your lot is a marvel of productivity. Everything looks healthy and lush, I should try some Hugelkultur, we have plenty of downed wood around here. I'm glad Reds turned up, looks like he is really chowing down on his strawberries -- what a life!

[SQWIBB]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Excellent work, Sqwibb! My peppers barely have flowers; what's your secret?



Nan

No secret, I think they were actually stunted, it's pretty bad when the fruit is larger than the plant lol.

Originally Posted by ddsack

Your lot is a marvel of productivity. Everything looks healthy and lush, I should try some Hugelkultur, we have plenty of downed wood around here. I'm glad Reds turned up, looks like he is really chowing down on his strawberries -- what a life!

Thanks.


I'm sure the 20 plus days of rain we had last month helped!


Definitely try the Hugelkultur it's well worth the initial effort up front, I'm hoping in another 2 years the beds wont need any watering, but knowing me I would water anyhow. I'll be weening these beds from the irrigation line next season.



Yeah he was thirsty too, I put out a saucer of water and his head didn't come up for 10 minutes!

[JRinPA]

I remember when you said you put in your peppers and tomatoes when I was considering planting out the broccoli and cauliflower. That might be the secret. I have some small peppers starting here and there but was planning to knock the first ones off.


You need to glue some whip flags on the turtle shells so you can find them all!

[SQWIBB]

Originally Posted by JRinPA

I remember when you said you put in your peppers and tomatoes when I was considering planting out the broccoli and cauliflower. That might be the secret. I have some small peppers starting here and there but was planning to knock the first ones off.


You need to glue some whip flags on the turtle shells so you can find them all!

I put my peppers out way too early this year.


Yeah that would be cool, and I can paint racing stripes on them too lol, my daughter would kill me for turtle abuse.

[SQWIBB]

June 17th, 2018



Food break,

• Egg, grilled cheese - Smoked provolone, American cheese, oregano, green peppers, jalapeno, Lovage, on butter grilled Honey Wheat bread, with Sriracha Hot sauce. Beverages - Mint tea and 2% milk
  

• Leeks for seeds. I'll leave a few leeks in the soil from this year to hopefully get seeds again next year.
  

• Some color in the Koi Pond.

• Started work on my other Grape Trellis, I'm winging this so I hope it comes out well.
  

June 19th, 2018





Not much going on in the garden, haven't really been up to doing any gardening lately, just playing around with my Rain water collection and grape trellis.

• Calla lilies are happy in their new location, these were moved from the front garden last year.
  

• Every thing is growing pretty good here, except my Cape Gooseberry in the Hugelkultur bed. The front yard filled out nicely, I'm still undecided on removing the Red Maple or not, I really dont want it to shade out all the growth on the hill, but do like a little shade on the patio. I was thinking if I do remove it to put in a Japanese Stewartia.
  

[Salsacharley]

That's a beautiful tree.

[SQWIBB]

June 20th - 25th, 2018

I got some of my garden stuff done after work today.

• Cut down my Oat Field lol.

I really wish I had enough land to do this on a yearly basis.


Cut down my Snow Peas, such a waste, we never ate any except for that one batch I made a few weeks ago, I wont grow these again. Trying to keep up with my new strategy, the Snow Peas will be chopped and placed back in the bed for mulch.


Trimmed back the Spaghetti Squash before it eats the neighbor.


Trimmed a few stems and leaves off of a tomato plant that was yellowing, this will not go back into the bed, this heads straight to the firepit.

Two of my eggplants are loaded with aphids and ants, I did put out a terro bait but the ants are still coming, I ended up spraying the leaves with Neem Oil.
Sprayed the Zucchini plant with Bt.




Time to compost. I'm already on my way to having a great compost year.

• Layering my Compost ingredients.

• Topped with spent Rabbit bedding.

I need to top this with my Wood Ash from last weeks cook on the Pit.

• Prickly Lettuce Compass Plant Lactuca serriola?

• Hoping this is my Sunchoke.

• I was going nuts trying to figure out what this was, I'm pretty sure its Crimson Clover that dropped its petals.

• Finished the trellis for the Reliance Grapes. I really wanted something Low Profile so I came up with this. So far I am happy with how it looks.
  

• Installed gutters on the underdecking.

• Compost is kicking butt

• Hardy Kiwis climbing nicely
  

[SQWIBB]

cont...

• Started the day with a garden breakfast.

• Done a bit more work on the Rainwater Collection. Put an overflow on the Koi Pond rain barrel and ran the hose beside the Hugelkultur bed.

• Added a 2x6 to the edge of the pavers, hopefully this will divert some water to the drain and not flow on the patio.

• Battled some ants

https://youtu.be/yIPijFPTwMI

• I was going to remove this vertical tower next year but the Jalapenos do so dam good here. I think I may leave it be. Maybe it's all the beer I pour in it? Quick explanation... I have a beer meister and the first pour is always foam, this foam gets dumped in this vertical tower. Looks like I'm making Poppers next week!
  

• Chopped up all of the snow peas and mulched the Hugelkultur bed.

• Been spraying the heck out of my Eggplants and Artichokes with neem oil, the Aphids are out of control.

• First eggplant of the season. (Small planter on the side patio.)